We visited Punta Serena November 19-26, 2011. The resort is about an hour from the Manzanillo Airport and cab fare is 700 pesos each way. The airport is small. Clearing customs is a breeze. Getting a cab is quick, especially if you have pesos and do not need to exchange money. Staff at the reception desk of the resort is helpful and pleasant and will reserve a cab for your return to the airport.

Check in on Saturday at Punta Serena was quick. Our package included a deluxe room – ocean view with balcony 657 sq. ft. – 1 king bed. It was a holiday weekend in Mexico and the resort was booked solid. We were “chosen” for an upgrade to an ocean front villa suite on the ground floor, 4A. We were given a room key and a lock and key for the safe (use the lock and key). After a quick tour we were taken to our room. The ocean view from the tiny, unfurnished, Romeo and Juliette style balcony was gorgeous. The beds were on concrete slabs, no higher than the tops of my shins and had old mattresses atop. They were not full size beds, more like short, fat, twin beds. Furnishings were sparse: a built in dresser, two night stands, a stool and a small, boxy television in an activity center. The room had a ceiling fan and an air conditioner. Punta Serena was probably built in the mid-70s and other than the air conditioner and TV, our room and bathroom had not been updated. Toiletries were aplenty and very nice; shampoo, conditioner, lotion and exfoliating cream. Water pressure in the shower was great and except for one morning, we had plenty of hot water. They do not supply washcloths, but we were provided with a loofah sponge to share. For most of our stay we had very nice, thick towels but Friday before we left, we were given threadbare ones. Mine had little holes.

The common room was spacious. One side had a sitting area and a mini refrigerator. The other part was unfurnished. There were sliding glass doors facing the ocean and opening onto a long, narrow, unfurnished balcony. I was able to get the doors open on the furnished side of the room but could not slide the screens. On the unfurnished side of the room, I could not budge the sliding glass doors. The shared room also had a lavatory. The area was cleaned for the first time on Thursday and the refrigerator was removed. It was again spruced up on Friday but the refrigerator was not returned even though I said something the day before at the reception desk.

On Monday, November 21, we were offered a different suite on the third level of the villa, 4-C. There were some differences between the two rooms but not many. Our new room had one, higher, king size bed that came to the tops of my knees. The bed even had a headboard. In addition to the stool, a hard backed chair was added so we could both sit someplace other than on a bed. There was a larger television set on the dresser and a walk in closet. The television was replaced with a smaller one on Friday.

As we were preparing to check out on Saturday, I got a look at 4B. That suite appeared like the pictures on the web site: sitting area, coffee table, king size bed, nice curtains and, surprise, surprise, the refrigerator from the shared area.

There are four ocean front, villa suites. The shared area for buildings two and three has a single, large, furnished, room that opens onto a good sized patio with chairs and a hammock. Buildings four and five have the two rooms, side by side, one furnished, one not. Sliding glass doors open onto an unfurnished, long, skinny balcony.

We asked to see an ocean view room. It was about the same size as an ocean front villa suite but seemed newer, fresher and had a nicer bathroom. The large furnished patio was a definite plus.

Punta Serena and Los Angeles Locos sustained damage as a result of a recent hurricane and clean-up was still in progress. Workers were repairing roofs, replacing tiles, painting, landscaping, etc. Punta Serena’s restaurant, which is located above the bar and lounge area, lost its roof. Reroofing started on Monday the 21st and was scheduled for completion Saturday the 26th. It was an interesting process to watch. Men carry materials on their backs to the site. All of these are hauled up by rope to the roof. Barefoot workers tie each piece of thatch off by hand.

Because the resort was full to capacity for the holiday weekend and the restaurant was not usable, meals were served buffet style on the 19th and 20th of November. People began leaving on Sunday and by Monday, noon, the resort was fairly deserted. For the rest of our stay we ordered from a menu and were served in the bar/lounge area. Food was tasty. Some days it was better than others depending on the chef. The drinks were always good and the servers and bartenders were excellent and most friendly. We went over next door to Los Angeles Locos for coffee in the morning as they are open earlier than Punta Serena. Los Angeles Locos also has fabulous a la carte, personal size pizzas.

The beach, pool, and Jacuzzis were immaculate and the views breathtaking. Weather was gorgeous every day. The red flag warning of rough water flew daily but we never saw the blue flag indicating jelly fish.

You can wear anything or nothing at the pool, in the Jacuzzis and on the beach.

Steps are everywhere. The roads leading to Punta Serena and Los Angeles Locos are cobblestone. Keep that in mind if you go there and pack footwear accordingly.

Trip Advisor, Orbitz, Travelocity, Yahoo, etc. give Punta Serena a three star rating. Traveler reviews average four stars. If you keep expectations reasonable, you will be pleased with Punta Serena. If you go there expecting a luxury resort with great amenities and lots of activities, or any activities actually, you will be disappointed.

The hotel is 50 min in a rental car from the Manzanillo Airport. The hotel sits 3 kilometers off hwy 200 via a cobblestone road. There are two security check points along the 3 kilometers. The hotel grounds are well maintained and the rooms are clean. The vanity in our room was old but had been repainted many times. The wood in the vanity and closet has been affected by the moisture over the years. The bed was very firm but we got use to it after a couple of nights. Every employee at the property were very accommodating and friendly. Some of the employees speak a little english but expect communication to be a little difficult. It was good for me to practice my Spanish. We arrived on a Saturday and there appeared to be about 8-10 couples. By Monday morning most people had left and we felt we had the hotel to ourselves. Many days throughout the week we had the hot tubs, pool and beach to ourselves. There were never more than 3 other couples at the beach or pool. The hotel was rebuilding the Palapa that covers the restaurant with workers starting about 0800 and working until 1700 each day. The building of the Palapa didn't affect the service or the comfort of our stay. The 90 min special massage was very good. The female that gave me the massage was also the one that conducted the Temazcal ceremony.
Most of the people staying at the hotel were from Mexico. We were only aware of one other couple speaking english. As has been stated in other reviews, it was alittle odd to see people come to a clothing optional resort and not take advantage of the clothing optional aspect. The food was good and they offered enough varity that we enjoyed the dining experience.

We were at Punta Serena the 3rd week of Oct. and agree with the majority of PdubSeattle comments, including most importantly, we would go back.

The Bad:
• Facility wise it is a 3.5 star from a general repair and maintenance standpoint. We were very disappointed by the “deluxe” room we reserved; it was spartan, dark, poor view, and very musty. We felt compelled to up-grade to a villa room, however for essentially a 10% premium, we got one of the largest and most definitely the best view room of the resort, 5B.

• Yes the baths while clean and with decent water pressure, supply, and temp do need to be up-dated.

• The thatched roof over the dining level had blown off during Hurricane Jova on Oct. 11th, therefore the dining area had been moved downstairs and merged with the bar and cocktail lounge. This we did not hold against them, but it did detract from the experience.

• While X pattern tape, put on for the hurricane, had been removed from the sliding glass doors, the tape residue was not scraped off, leaving a noticeable pattern.

• We are not picky people, we readily moved beyond the facility negatives of the resort, chalking it up to the isolated location right at water’s edge, and focused on fun in the sun. However Punta Serena needs to put a few more pesos into the laundry of their towels and sheets and add fabric softener. The towels especially were very rough & you are therefore constantly annoyed though out the day.



The Good:
• Yes paying a little extra for a 3.5 that is quiet and secluded is worth it. As with PdubSeattle, there were no kids, no partiers, no troublemakers and the clothing optional aspect was readily accepted and felt very comfortable even for first timers.

• The sound of waves all day and night is very relaxing.

• The service was outstanding in all regards. The entire staff went out of their way to always please with a smile & a helpful suggestion when needed. As gringos, we speak only a few words of basic Spanish but had no problem communicating.

• The shrimp cocktail was superb. The shrimp were fresh and sweet, served in a warm light broth to which you add all the various provided condiments you desire to flavor to taste.

• Based on other reviews, we were prepared for a hard mattress; while firm, it was not uncomfortable, just different and only took a couple nights to adapt to.

• The view, ambiance, and service are fantastic. This cannot be stressed enough! It more than makes up for anything one may perceive as a negative.

• Having stayed at other 4 & 5 star Mexican resorts we can unequivocally state the AC was best we've encountered. The AC came with a perfectly operating remote, the unit was very quiet, strong, and very effective.


General Comments:

• The menu is somewhat limited, with a strong seafood theme, but with only 24 rooms you cannot expect a multi-page menu. Yes most of the dishes are under seasoned, however the staff will provide seasoning condiments if requested. Some great items are found on the Snack menu. Of important note on food, we do not recall any previous reports of definite food related illness. We did not experience even a “twinge of revenge” nor do we know of anyone who did.

• We did go to a Blue Bay buffet breakfast and dinner for a change of pace and found them to be basic Mexican fare. Do make arrangements for your 1 permitted visit to the Blue Bay air-conditioned restaurant, just make your reservation at the office a day or two ahead of time.

• We did the sweat lodge and would do it again, however knowing part of the ceremony involves covering your exposed skin with mud, I’d wear something that would not be stained by getting some mud on it.

• It appears each villa is slightly different and we know at least for villa 5, the rooms are each different in layout, size, and specific furnishings. So if you don’t like what they first offer, ask to see options.

• This is not a party resort, it is a couples’ resort with friendly but limited interaction with most of the other guests. There are no scheduled activities other than the sweat lodge twice a week, you and your significant other are your own entertainment. There was a couple from Canada, two couples for a few days from Spain, the remainder were from Mexico. Guest ages ran the gamut from the 20 something to the 60 something. As others have noted, during mid-week there may be just 3-5 couples at the entire resort.

• It is truly clothing optional in the pool, hot tub, and beach areas. We also noted the majority of Mexicans do not remove any clothing so we were left wondering why they would pay a premium to stay at Punta Serena rather than Blue Bay next door.

• Everyday about 10am, the staff will bring an ice chest loaded with beer, soda, & water down to the beach.

• The resort layout is on a point, therefore getting around from the various areas; dining/pool, hot tubs, rooms, beach, & Blue Bay, involves some stairs. Of course when one is laying around all day, a little limbering exercise is appropriate.

• I do not recall any previous reports mentioning the road from the highway to the resort. Our driver laughed and said it was our welcoming massage, the entire 5km is cobblestone.

• We found an air freshener quickly removed the slight musty odor always typical of beach front rooms. The septic odor mentioned in a few previous reports was only noticed twice in our 7 day stay. In both cases it was minor and only perceivable for a few seconds.

• Chips, ice cream bars, candy bars, etc. are available in the gift shop.

So I would go back however, after reading the reviews I can agree with many so I'll start with the Bad.

The Bad:
-It is labeled as a 5 start but it really is a 3.5.
-It is older and sits next to salt water so some decay has happened.
-The food is kinda "blah". It reminded me of bad wedding food.
-The bathrooms are pretty old and need updating.

The Good:
-Paying a little extra for a 3.5 that is quiet and secluded worth it. There were no kids, no partiers, no troublemakers and the clothing optional aspect felt very comfortable, wasn’t about sex but freedom.
-I felt the service to be outstanding. All the staff went out of their way to please us.
-The mattress was great, even though our room wasn't "cutting edge" it was more than enough especially when you put into consideration that you are in the Jungle an hour away from any real city. That and you should be spending your time relaxing on the beach and not in your room.
-The view, environment, everything is beautiful.
-The show at the Blue Bay was really amazing. Blew my expectations.

Overall.
-If you are looking for a party scene this isn’t your place. Sure you can go next door to the Blue Bay, they have a “disco” but it’s hard to consider that a party place. This is not a singles place. This place is definitely for couples, everyone was friendly but it was about spending time with your partner.
-What the place lacked in updates and infrastructure the staff made up for it. I felt that they really did care about making sure we were pleased and went out of their way. All you have to do is smile, be respectful and tip a little and they will take great care of you.
-If you are looking for a great getaway, at a reasonable price and can overlook some negative details then you will enjoy this trip. If you are picky, prince or princess don’t come here, invest a $1000 more and stay at a true 5star. We will go back.
-This is a Mexican resort and is marketed to Mexicans living in Guadalajara. If you expect everyone to speak fluent English you will be disappointed. It didn’t bother and probably shouldn’t bother you either.

Tips.
-Bring snacks. Trust me, after two days you will be happy that you drug that box of CheezeIts to Mexico. When we return, we are actually going to load up in the Airport with Redbulls, Doritos, etc, etc. (unless you pack redbull, can’t take it through security)
-Pay extra for a driver to be at the airport waiting to take you to the resort. Most booking sites provide this as a prepay option; you will be happy that you don’t have to mess with taxi after spending the day traveling.
-Bring incenense. Plumbing in Mexico during the 80s was not exactly cutting edge. It wasn’t bad but a little chamomile would have been great.
-Drink water. “All the free beer I can drink, challenge accepted”. Myself and a few of the other men got sick the last day. The ladies didn’t. We realized that we had been drinking nothing but beer and tequila for 4 days in a row. Unless you are already a hardcore alcoholic your body probably can’t take it.